Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to the field of portable information handling systems, and more particularly to an information handling system low height illuminated keyboard.
Description of the Related Art
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Portable information handling systems typically include integrated input/output (I/O) devices and a battery to support operations untethered from peripherals and external power. Smaller portable devices often have a planar housing with one side populated by a touchscreen display so that end users can make inputs and view outputs without using a keyboard. Smartphone and tablet information handling systems are examples of systems that do not include physical keyboards, although smartphone and tablet information handling systems do often support interactions with peripheral keyboards through USB cables or wireless personal area networks (WPANs) such as Bluetooth. An advantage of the planar footprint and lack of a physical keyboard is that the thin height—also known as Z factor—allows users to conveniently store a phone or tablet in a purse or pants pocket. A disadvantage is that the touchscreen display keyboard tends to be difficult to use due to its small size and lack of physical input feedback. Typically end users prefer information handling system devices with physical keyboards when doing tasks that call for extended inputs, such as word processing or email tasks. When using a smartphone or tablet device with a peripheral keyboard, users effectively sacrifice some portability since the peripheral device increases the overall size of what the user must carry. Often, the peripheral keyboards come with a carrying case that holds the smartphone or tablet.
End users who tend to perform functions that use more typing, such as word processing, tend to prefer portable information handling systems that have integrated keyboards for more rapid inputs. Generally, portable information handling systems with integrated keyboards have a larger footprint with a clamshell or convertible form factor that provides room for more power processing components than those typically found in tablet systems. On the one hand, the more powerful processing components provide an enriched end user experience that provides support for a greater number of applications to execute. On the other hand, the more powerful processing components tend to use more power and generate more heat so that a larger battery and a cooling fan are generally included. Generally, the selection of the processing components, battery and cooling fan are driven by the size of the display integrated in the portable information handling system. Since the display and main housing tend to have the same X and Y size definitions, larger displays tend to have housings with greater internal space that supports more processing, power and cooling capabilities. End users typically understand that portability and display size are a tradeoff, however, end users who are used to the thin Z height of tablet information handling systems do desire to have clamshell and convertible systems with a reduced Z height if possible.
In order to reduce the Z height of information handling systems in general, manufacturers tend to use thin battery packs and tightly constrained motherboard configurations. These considerations help reduce the thickness of the main housing for systems that integrate a keyboard and the thickness of the planar housing of tablet systems. Portable information handling systems that integrate a keyboard tend to have physical constraints that limit size reductions available in Z height due to the room used by keys to travel vertically. End users tend to expect at least some minimal amount of movement, and the guided travel of a key tends to call for at least some structure in the keyboard that adds to Z height. Conventional keyboards tend to use a rubber dome that maintains a desired return pressure for the end user. Where Z height is a concern for end users, structures that have less key movement and different return forces may be used. For example, magnets disposed between keys and a support surface provide key movement with a thinner structure that helps reduce keyboard thickness. One feature sought in portable information handling system keyboards is illumination of the keys. When working in environments that have restricted light, users rely on illumination from behind the keys in order to see which keys are being pressed. LEDs or other light sources used to illuminate behind the keyboard tend to add some height.